The present invention concerns methods of therapy, and therapeutic devices associated with those methods.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a well-known method of therapy used for example in the treatment of individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (See for example Shapiro, F. (1989), Eye movement desensitisation: a new treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 20, 211-217.) EMDR therapy is used to desensitise an individual to a past traumatic experience, to prevent or reduce any adverse symptoms associated with the memory of the experience. EMDR therapy has been approved by the United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for use in the treatment of PTSD (see http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG026fullguideline.pdf)
EMDR therapy comprises a number of phases. For example, the therapy may begin with an initial phase in which a patient's history is taken, the therapist identifies potential targets for EMDR, and an overall treatment plan is devised. Following this there are phases in which the EMDR treatment itself is performed. In later phases the results of the treatment are assessed, any further treatment is performed if necessary, and finally the patient is debriefed and given any appropriate information and support.
A key aspect of EMDR treatment is that, during a desensitisation phase, the patient undergoing therapy is instructed to move their eyes in a particular way while mentally focusing on an image associated with the traumatic experience. It is believed that the particular eye movement helps the patient to mentally process the memory of the traumatic experience, desensitising them to the memory and thus preventing or reducing any associated symptoms.
The particular eye movement required is a side-to-side tracking movement. This type of eye movement is usually called “pursuit eye movement”, and contrasts with “saccadic eye movement” in which the eye moves from one position to another in a single extremely quick movement.
The eye movement is often facilitated by instructing the patient to track with their eyes an object that is moved from side to side by the therapist. (The object may simply be the therapist's finger, for example.)
Alternatively, devices to facilitate the side-to-side tracking movement of the eyes are also known.
WO 96/00532 A1 (Wilson) describes a device which has a number of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted along a bar which is positioned horizontally in a patient's field of vision. The device is arranged so that the light-emitting diodes are lit up in sequence from one end of the bar to the other and back again, with the sequence being repeated. Consequently, when a patient is instructed to focus on the LEDs as they light up their eyes will as a result track from side to side.
The present invention concerns a new method of therapy similar to (but different from) EMDR. Amongst other things, the invention seeks to provide a therapeutic device based on that new method of therapy.